Wednesday, January 16, 2019

We met, as agreed beforehand, at 8 o'clock. Therese said we would do the "short loop," which she estimated to be about a half-hour walk. We didn't go through the gate but overland.

Buddy and Molly eagerly ran ahead. You can see that I lagged somewhat behind Therese and Dorothy much of the time. It wasn't that I couldn't keep up (really!), but there was just so much to see, off in the distance, close to my feet, and close at hand:

We all found things to inspect and point out to one another, though. I wasn't the only one. So, as it turned out, a half-hour walk is only if one goes alone with dogs. Three curious women can stretch that half-hour to a full hour. There is so much to inspect on, around, and under every tree in the wash.

And then there are all the other plants --

And then we were out on the high ground again, with bright sun turning the grasses to gold.

You probably can't see the jet in the distance that roared low over our heads before turning and coming back behind the mountains. It took me too long to adjust my camera setting to get the plane when it was directly overhead.

But plenty of other things (mostly plants) stood still for our examination and identification. The desert is new every day, always bringing something unexpected.

Monday, January 7, 2019

This was the view looking back from the way we came. As you see -- or, rather, don't see -- Dos Cabezas peaks and even higher slopes are shrouded in thick rainclouds. Such was our view in every direction on Sunday morning.

We drove out to what Willcox calls Twin Lakes (and what I call ponds) to the bird-watching area, and views there was also different from most days.

The cottonwoods in Historic Railroad Park are taking on more of a winter appearance.

On our way back home, with clouds still hanging low, the sun struggled to come out, but as we climbed the 900 feet from the flats to the ghost town we found ourselves with our heads in the clouds once again.

Friday, January 4, 2019

When the temperature is 13 degrees Fahrenheit in Willcox (yesterday morning), what is it up in Dos Cabezas, 900 feet higher in elevation? Luckily, there was no wind when the morning sun lured me outdoors with Sarah into a thoroughly frost-kissed mountain world.